Bike. Travelling. General.

Bonjour!

Haven't updated the blog for ages and feel I better. Very very sorry. My excuse is that internet is harder and more expensive than I thought....anyway. I shall begin.

In some sort of order...

1. The Bike Ride. It was awesome. Saw some brilliant parts of the country, had great weather, met some great people...some strange people in the Youth Hostels, and raised a lot of money for the great causes. Thanks for all the donations.

2. Had probably the most hecktic 4 days after the bike ride finished trying to fit the interior of the van. Got there the day after the bike ride and it was a shell with nothing inside other than metal!!! 5 months of sleping on metal doesn't really do it for me. Pretty much got the whole lot done and am pretty impressed with it. Will put some pics on here soon.

3. Travelling.

Got the ferry to Hook of Holland where we got there at about 7 am. Spent that day outside of Rotterdam just chilling out. The day we left I was still screwing screws into the van and starting packing it at about 2pm after just getting our insurance sorted. I feel I am diversing a bit. Oh yeah, just had a relaxing day to recover really from the previous day. The next day we went to Amsterdam. Stayed there for about 3 or 4 days. It was a very interesting place. The red light district was very entertaining. Spent a while walking up and down. Saw a very large lady showing her stuff - apparenty a New Zealand couple we met in Brussels said they saw someone coming out sweating from her window...! We did some cultural stuff too. Went to Anne Franks hide out and also the Van Gough Museum. Both were cool but I think you'd all rather I talk about the ho's!

My camera wasn't working for a few days so I don't have any pictures. Becky does but we can't get these on the computer. It will become more picture based than words based. Good for you because you don't have to read my drivvle and good for me because I don't have to write it.

Then we headed south to Den Haag which is the other capital of Netherlands - deals more with the politics than the ho's and drugs.

Oh yeah, as soon as we stepped out of our campsite in Amsterdam we got offerred Cocaine, then later some ecstacy by a man at a bus stop to which Becky says (quite loudly) "what did he say?"..."come on Becky lets just carry on a bit shall we" i said.

Den Haag was really pretty. Biked in and wanderred really. It is right on the coast so we spent the next day at the beach. Because we could!

After a few days here we went to Brugges but went via Antwerp for a couple of hours. We parked the van up and walked about. Managed to squeeze in a Belgium Waffle smothered in Chocolate too!

Heres a pic of some big Giant guarding a castle thing in Antwerp!



This is a pic of the main square in Antwerp...



Then we went to Brugges. We were really close so we biked in.



The bikes have been really useful. I swore I wouldn't get on one for a while after the end to end but hey ho. Infact, bikes in Holland and Belgium pretty much rule the road. Its flat like a pankake too so easy biking compared to Cornish hills!!!
Here's a windmill...



We got all jealous looking in the shop windows at the Belgian Chocolate. The city of Brugges is absolutely awesome. So clean and picturesque. Anyone wanting a weekend break or something, I would reccommend it.

Went into a church which had a Michaelangelo marble statue in there of Madonna and a child. The only bit of his work outside Italy.



It was in a really lovely chuch too.

After a lot of walking we stopped for a Belgium beer or two in the oldest pub in Brugges.



Great beer just a shame they only give you a thimble full!

After this we then treated ourselves again...courtesy of Alison...thanks Alison. After cooking in a tent for a couple of weeks over a portable gas stove you don't half appreciate eating out. We both had three courses with steak...it had to be done! Felt like we should have had mussels but...well...didn't.

Next was Ghent which was halfway between here and Brussels. Again we biked in and agqin it was a really nice place. Similar again to Brugges but Brugges would win if it came to preference.

Saw a camper van too and a possibe job oppurtunity...



That was by the castle in Ghent.

We also had an ice cream by the canal watching all the boats go up and down.
This was where we sat



Brussels was up next. We had a bit of a mission finding the site but I won't bore you with that. Found one in the end and it was 1. too far to bike really and 2. to miserable to bike. So we got the bus into town both days. After the loveliness of Antwerp, Brugges and Ghent we were faced with the greatness of a capital city. It was totally different and being here emphasised how lovely the other citites were. It wasn't a horrible place, quite the opposite. It had lovely parts but also the dodgier areas cities have - similar to London I suppose. It was just that the other places didn't appear to have these places.

We saw the sights...

A little boy pissing...



Also as we were strolling about we heard some sort of band then saw a police escort. "This could be something exciting...maybe its the royalty or something" I think I said something like this but no, it was the Brussels half marathon and they were running straight for us. I think we pretty much nearly tripped up the leading man.

Here's some of the runners for you...



Oh yeah at this point Becky and I are both thinking that we may do the London marathon next year...we'll see how that one works out.

Then we walked trough the gardens opposite the royal palace



A fact about Brussels - or Belgium - that I never knew. The Smurfs and Tin Tin came from here. Along with some other cartoons that I hadn't heard of so they have sides of building painted in cartoons all over the city. It looks really cool.



We went to a flea market also as we read somewhere that this was reccommded. I wasn't massively impressed, but was worth a check out I suppose.



Here is a pic where on a good day I think you could probably see more than what we could.



Then we walked to a big birds nest thing made out of loads of wood. A bit weird.



I think the idea for a potential job may have too much competition for me to get envolved.



Bought ourself some frites - thats chips don't you know - and enjoyed them.



Brussels was where we met the New Zealand couple so we went to the local with them and had a few drinks in the evening with them too. They were in England - Kings Lynn of all places - for a year working and saving and doing something similar to us.

Next stop was the Ardennes in Belgium, our last stop in Belgium before going to France. This place was awesome. Our site was in the bottom of a valley and the stream ran pretty much next to our tent. The hills were covered in pine trees that they were chopping down. It was very similar to places that we biked through in Scotland. With the valleys and general surrounding brought with it the hills and these don't half slow the van down. It feels like we've stopped moving when going up some of them.

This is where we camped. If you look closely you can see the roof of our van.



The night we got there we followed the river into the nearest town. It was a brilliant view every corner we went around. The town had a really old castle ruin on the hill also.





That evening we found the childrens play area in the campsite.



Next day we hired some canoes and went for a 21km ride down stream through some pretty hairy waterfall and rapidy bits. The views again were brilliant. It was only us two on the river so was really quiet.



France. The third country so far. Headed to Epernay which is in the heart of the Champaigne region. The camp site was in a brilliant area again, this was our view.



In Epernay we went for a tour around a Champagne factory which was pretty interesting. Along Avenue De Champagne is some of the many producers Maisons where tours and production is held. It looked like there was a lot of money in this area. We went for our tour at Champagne De Castellaines Maison.





When we came out there were these 4 beauties lined up. Obviously the Camper Van burnt them all up at the lights!



We then headed for Paris and managed to hit the Frence M25 which wasn't much fun. No one gives way and especially not to English people in a Camper Van that has no speed! We were on this for longer than hoped and relived to get off it and to the campsite.



However we had to get back on it to pick Sophie up from Charles De Gaulles airport as she stayed with us for a few days.

We were 3.5 miles away from the Eiffel tower so we walked in. We ended up doing about 15 miles walking we think and were pretty shattered that day.
Went to Eiffel Tower...



Went to Arc De Tiumphe where we legged it across the ruondabout - not knowing you can get the subway bit to it...



Walked down Champs Elysee.



I went in the car shops whilst Becky and Sophie went in the Luis Vitton shop.

Went to the Concord statue at the other end of the Champs Elysee...





Saw our biggest hero yet to exist...



Thats right Terry "Hulk" Hogan...we also saw Richard Branson in Amsterdam who asked if we wanted to see a live sex show! How could I forget. No photo of him tho.

Had some lunch in one of the gardens near the Louvre before going into here. We read that on the 1st Sunday of the month you don't have to pay to go in. We didn't believe it but it was true...result!



I never knew how big it was. We didn't spend a massive amount of time in here but I think you could be in there for a few weeks and still not see everything. it was proper packed out too. The amount of people around Mona Lisa was nuts.





I liked these little bits. They were from the same photo.





Then we went to Notre Dame.



There were some people roller blading outside so sat and watched these. One of the guys looked like Michal Flatley with roller blades on. I mean this by the way his legs moved not physical characteristics.

After the mamoth walking we found the Hard Rock Cafe- traditional French grub - and chowed down on some Burger action. It was well earnt I think. We did have to walk the other 3.5 miles home again too!

Next day we went back in and said we would go up the Eiffel Tower. Convinced the girls to walk it. It was pretty impressive. It was 668 steps up. You can only walk to the 2nd level then you have to get the lift.



The girls went to see the Sex and the City film and personally I would have rather jumped off the Eiffel tower so didn't. I went to see some more of what Paris has to offer.

Went to the Hotel Des Invalides.



Jardin Du Luxembourg then strolled through the city and back home to meet them later.



Sophie was flying the next day so we drove to the Palace of Versailles as this was near by and we could stroll around the gardens for free. They were pretty impressive.



After dropping Sophie off we went to the East of Paris as we wanted to go to Disneyland Paris. Found a cool camp site and ended up staying here for a week to relax a bit. I don't have any pictures of Disneyland as I didn't take my camera but we did go and it was pretty cool. Found out from a couple about things called camping chequs which makes camping in off peak time really cheap so phoned Mum and Dad to get them on the case and order us loads - which they did...Thanks Mum and Dad!!! - so we can save a fair bit of money.
Needed a bit of welding on the exhaust on the van as the pipe had come away from the box and was smelling a bit fumey in the van so got this done here too.

Here's pictures of the place we stayed at for 8 days...





After this stay of a week it felt good to get on again and headed for the Loire Valley. We went to the Chateux in Blois and it was pretty cool. Not the biggest or most attractive but I think there will be a few to challenge the events carried on in this little chestnut. A few guys have been killed and stuff. It was built with 4 sides and each one represents the style at that time too. I enjoyed it.







The last place we went to - yes, I'm nearly done. Relief for you and me I imagine - was a place called St Jean De Monts. This is on the West coast of France. The place has a great coast line and a proper Mediterranean feel and smell to it. It's like being on holiday!!



Thats all I'm saying now because I feel knackered.

Will write sooner so it won't be a big'un like this one is!

Hope everyones keeping well.

Paul

X

p.s. If you read it all well done. Our mobile number whilst we are away is 07509 165 067 if you are in the slightest bit interested.

p.p.s sorry about the spelling I know it is probably awful.

p.p.s.s the pics will be on here in a matter of days rather than months. Thank you for your patience.